Water and irrigation in the Sacramento Valley
Water is the first question on almost every farm we sell. These are the kinds of supply we run into and what to ask about each.
District surface water
Many valley properties are served by an irrigation or reclamation district. In our own closings: Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (Winters, Esparto), Dunnigan Water District, Reclamation District 108 (Knights Landing rice ground, and in the service area of the Mendocino View Farms listing), Reclamation District 2068 (Jenny Farms), Maine Prairie Water District (Binghamton Road and Comber Ranch near Dixon) and Sutter Mutual Water Company (Karnack Road). Ask which district, what class of land the parcel is, what the delivery point is, and what it costs to connect if a connection does not exist yet.
Wells and groundwater
Many properties use wells alone or blend well water with district water. The County Road 17A orchard had two new deep wells plus surface water on an interconnected system. California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 requires local agencies to manage groundwater basins, and basin rules vary. A groundwater-only property should be evaluated with the local rules in mind, which is also the point our own 2026 buyer's guide makes about dual-source water.
River rights and contracts
Some riverside properties carry rights tied to a settlement contract or a riparian claim. O'Brien River Ranch near Meridian was marketed with a Sacramento River Settlement Contract and a riparian claim. Whether a contract or claim transfers, and on what terms, is a document question; we ask for the paper early.
Drainage and flood zone
Water leaving the property matters too. Check drainage, the flood zone and levee conditions. Mendocino View Farms, for example, lies within FEMA Flood Zone AE, which the listing states.
This is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Water rights and district rules are specific to each parcel.